Domestic appliance



April 22, 1958 M; E. my I 2,831 5 DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 19, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Millard E. Fry BY His Attorney 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M- E. FRY

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE BY Millard E. Fry

His Attorney April 22, 1958 Filed Jan. 19, 1954 I Fig. 5

A the line 2-2 in United States Patent DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Millard E. Fry, Dayton, Ohio, ass ignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application January 19, 1954, Serial No. 404,917

1 Claim. c1. 219-43 This inventionrelates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to a range provided with a combined sunken griddle and Dutch oven.

When a griddle is used which is substantially flush with the top surface of the range, its use for such things as frying hamburger allows the grease to splatter over the top a surface of the stove. I

It is an object of my invention to provide a griddle arrangement in which the grease is confined.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved simple arrangement in which a griddle may also be used as a Dutch oven upon the top of a range.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a range top embodying one form of my invention; p

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a top view of my griddle; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing the Dutch oven conversion.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown an electric range 20 provided with a range top 22 and integral back plasher 24 and a control panel 26. On the left side of the range top 22 there is provided a sunken griddle 28 embodying my invention.

Referring now more particularly to theremaining figures, the range top 22 is provided with a sunken rectangular well 30 in the form of a pan-shaped member having its upper edges fastened by rivets or screws to the downturned flange 32 of the rectangular opening inthe range top. The bottom of the well 30 is provided with upwardly projecting transverse embossed ribs 34. Resting upon these embossed ribs 34 are two sheathed tubular type heating elements 36 and 38 which may be like the heatin units shown in Patent No. 2,508,554, issued May 2, 1950.

Figure 3 of the griddle embodying my on the central plateau surface within the pan may flow outwardly into the recess 50. Fastened to the bottom of the griddle 40 is a thermostat 52 which is connected in series with the heating elements 36 and 38 to limit the temperature of the griddle 40 to prevent burning or scorching.

When not in use, the griddle 40 may be covered by a substantially flat cover 54 of stainless steel or aluminum having folded edge portions provided with an inwardly extending flange 56 fitting inside the walls 42 of the griddle 40. When it is desired to use the griddle 40 as a Dutch oven, the cover 54 is removed and replaced by the inverted pan-shaped cover 58 shown in Fig. 5. This cover 58 is rectangular and has downwardly extending walls 60 provided with inwardly extending flanges 62 adapted to rest upon therim or flange of the griddle 40. In addition, the flanges 62 have downwardly turned edges 64 which fit within the walls-42 of the griddle 40. This cover 58 converts the griddle 40 into a Dutch oven upon the range top 22. The cover 58 is provided with suitablbe handles 66 of ceramic material or some suitable plastic such as phenolformaldehyde resin. The griddle and oven maybe controlled by a sliding type control 63 upon the front of the range top which may operate and adjust suitable infinite heat switches which electrically connect to the terminals 70 and 72 of the heaters 36 and 38 and to the thermostat 52 in series circuit with the heaters. Such infinite heat switches may be of the type shown in the Wilhjelm Patent 1,767,636, issued June 24, 1930.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

A domestic cooking range including a range top provided with a shallow well containing heating means, a pan within said well removably supported upon said heating means, said pan having side walls terminating below the range top and spaced from the side walls of said well so as to provide an air gap betweensaid pan and The griddle 40 rests directly upon the heating elements 36 and 38 and is in the form of a shallow rectangular pan of cast aluminum having almost vertical side walls 42 and projections 44 at each end. These projections 44 hold 1 position of the handles 48 is shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2. At the base of the wall 42 there is provided a grease collecting groove 50 extending all around the griddle at the base of the wall 42 so that any excess grease the vertical walls of said well, said pan having handles normally recessed in the upper surface of the side walls of the pan and provided with a slidable lost motion connection with the side walls of the pan permitting the lifting of the handles above the range top, said handles having portions extending downwardly into said air gap when when not in use and a removable cover in the form of an inverted pan of substantially the same size and shape as said pan having its side walls sloping outwardly from top to bottom adjacent said handles and resting upon the side walls of said pan inside said handles to form a Dutch oven.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,291,423 Crary -1 Jan. 14, 1919 2,119,421 Cross May 31, 1938 2,164,813 Gunther July 4, 1939 2,265,295 Layton Dec. 9, 1941 2,314,467 Tu-bbs Mar. 23, 1943 2,425,271 Tandler Aug. 5, 1947 2,430,582 Reich Nov. 11, 1947 2,485,698 Chesser Oct. 25, 1949 2,505,898 Jatfe et al. May 2, 1950 2,695,352 Dekold Nov. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 801,172 Germany Dec. 28, 1950 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1939 

